The Moose Hunt; A three part series

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

Algonquin Provincial Park is one of Canada's largest parks, providing protection to Deer, moose, bear, wolf, ospreys, loons and even the occasional woodsman.

However, the Southern portion of Algonquin Park has been hunting grounds for so long, that the Province is still allowing it to happen. However, it's tightly managed, and unless you have the contacts to get in there, you won't have much luck getting there with a rifle. Luckily for me, I always have an in .

At 5:30 am I left Buckhorn Ontario and drove up to Whitney Ontario. After meeting the other hunters we drove approximately 40km (roughly 20 miles) into deep bush, with sign of moose everywhere (including the sighting of a yearling cow), as well as sign of the one animal none of us would ever have the chance to put our rifle sights on; an Algonquin Red Wolf. We had to go over 3 seperate streams, all of which posed their own problems (either so steep our atv trailer would disengage from one truck, or so swift of a current and so deep, that another hunter's vehicle was being threatened to flow downstream and into a beaver dam!).

We finally arrived at the camp, and set to work cleaning the bunkhouse, splitting cedar kindling for the woodstoves, and feasting on some dinner in the cookhouse. The next day, two more of our hunting party arrived, and on Sunday the final member of our eight-man team drove into camp. We were in the southernmost reach of what is nicknamed the "Spruce-Moose Forest", bordering Haliburton Forest, Whitney and several other smaller townships. Black bear sign was present nearly daily, as was moose sign. On the weekend my cousin and I were spending our time looking for good wallows and scrapes. I carried an 870 Express Magnum with a smooth bore. Loaded in it was dove shot for partridge and grouse, while in the breast pocket I carried rifled slugs incase we stumbled across a moose, or had a bear that got too curious. We brought back one Ruffed grouse and two Hungarian Partridge, and I collected a healthy supply of true tinder fungus from the birches.

Monday was spent on the far side of the lake we were camped on, studying sign, looking for anything promising. I was set up on a watch overlooking a small beaver dam. Around 10:30 in the morning I heard heavy, hooved crunches in the woods on the other side of the pond. The balsam firs and tamaracks were so thick on that hill that I couldn't even see the moose. I stayed still and sadly had to listen to the young bull walk over the hill and head towards.. another hunting party who got a clear shot and drove off with a fat, strong moose that would have provided me a lot of meat, a good hide, and lots of sinews and bones. Needless to say I was a bit miffed.

As I walked up to my father's post around noon, I came across some fresh deer scat, a few wolf tracks, and a huge bush of labrador tea. I shared a smoke and a bottle of water with my dad, all the while cutting and harvesting the evergreen herb that tastes so good in a mug.

We went back to camp, but on the way, my cousin and I finally found the motherload.. a marsh about 2 kms long, all sphagnum bog with at least a dozen fresh wallows (the smell alone was proof of their freshness). We scanned the terrain with scopes and binoculars, and finally decided, this was our spot, this was where we would get our moose.

Continued later in Part Two..
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Only an idiot brings a knife to a gunfight. Well sir, I am that idiot.

[j_wilson (howlin wolf)]

Dude, I just found this post!!! PART 2. . . .PART 2. . . .PART 2. . . .I can't wait!!!!
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"Respect is the one thing money can't buy, it takes a long time to earn, but can be lost in the blink of an eye"

[ArizonaBushman]

Hey where did this post come from??? I have honestly never seen this one....I think.
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Always a Student, Never a Master.

[j_wilson (howlin wolf)]

Dude I know, leave it to Oz to be a sneaky Canadian ninja with his mystery posts out of no where!!
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"Respect is the one thing money can't buy, it takes a long time to earn, but can be lost in the blink of an eye"

[ArizonaBushman]

I think Caleb was telling me about this on the phone. It seems familiar!
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Always a Student, Never a Master.

[j_wilson (howlin wolf)]

Well leave it to a JUNIOR BUSHMAN LACKY to divulge details on the phone before posting. . .LOL
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"Respect is the one thing money can't buy, it takes a long time to earn, but can be lost in the blink of an eye"

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

[j_wilson (howlin wolf)]

sorry to hear that man, wish you luck in the recovery, talk to you soon bro!!
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"Respect is the one thing money can't buy, it takes a long time to earn, but can be lost in the blink of an eye"